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Choosing to live, work and stay in the North East – Danjela’s story

Danjela Toro is a recent Northumbria University graduate who is originally from Albania. She now works as an iCart Project Engineer at Gateshead-based ADM Automation. So what factors were behind Danjela’s decision to live, work and stay in the North East after university? And what might encourage more young people to make the same choice?

After studying for a Master’s degree in Engineering Management at Northumbria University, Danjela secured a role working on ADM Automation’s automated guided vehicle, the iCart, which is used in in-house logistics applications in businesses around the world.

ADM Automation Managing Director Chris Smith explains the value of graduates to the business: “Everything we do is new, it’s novel, and we need people who think in a novel way and have a good, strong educational background. We need people who have the capacity and capability to learn new things and push boundaries further and further. Good graduates are essential to our success.”

Talking about what she is gaining from her first engineering role, Danjela Toro said: “It is definitely a good start for my career. It’s teaching me the basics of engineering and project management. It’s my first experience in engineering and it’s in robotics – I think it’s the best.

“ADM have given me lots of opportunities. It’s not a large company but we have big projects with brands including the Royal Mail and Bosch so there are lots of opportunities to gain experience quickly.”

Many of the graduates who have shared their stories mention the importance of feeling at home when it comes to deciding where to live after graduation, and Danjela agrees: “I’ve been to London a lot and I like it there but I love coming back to Newcastle. It’s cheap to live here which means you can save money, it’s clean, the people are nice and friendly and you feel like part of the community so easily. It feels like home.”

Opportunities for progression within their chosen career is also frequently mentioned as a draw for graduates when it comes to choosing where to live and work: “I’d say there are a lot of career opportunities. I’m getting to know a lot of other companies now through my work and there are a lot of good companies here and it’s easy to make contacts. There are so many opportunities that mean you can progress and progress with your career,” said Danjela.

“In my opinion it’s a great place to live and work, with lower house prices and cost of living than other places. Newcastle is a great base as you can get the Metro everywhere and it’s easy to get around. I’m in love with this city!”

Watch Danjela and Chris’s story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llIJ3BVUveQ&feature=youtu.be

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Live, Work and Stay campaign is helping to raise awareness of the range of opportunities there are for graduates who choose to stay in the North East after university.

See more graduate and employer stories at www.nelep.co.uk/live-work-and-stay and join the conversation on Twitter with #LiveWorkandStay.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by North East LEP .